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Psalm 33:6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. 7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. 8 Let the whole world fear the Lord and let everyone stand in awe of him. 9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
Genesis 2: 1 So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.
Isaiah 66:1 Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?
2My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken.
As we embraced the Messianic faith, we also began to embrace the concept of taking one whole day each week to rest. I will share the irony that Saturday often proved to be the busiest day of the week in synagogue. Following worship and service which might take hours, there was then the necessity of setting out Oneg, which was a light snack shared with other, and likely as not a business committee meeting was thrown in for good measure. If Saturday was also a fasting feast day, then we skipped Oneg and there was the need to stay in synagogue until the evening service which took place at sunset followed by dinner to break the fast. There were Sabbaths that began before 9am and didn't end until almost 9pm.
It seems very distant from that image above of God resting, hands crossed in his lap, eyes closed, and feet propped on the earth, doesn't it?
God created so much, and then he created rest.
Mark 2:27 And he said, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.
Here is another gift. The gift of rest.
2 comments:
Wonderful! Of course, shabbat (שבת) does not merely mean ''to rest''. Indeed, this word has a very interesting etymology. The root (שב) appears in a number of related words including:
1) שבה - to take captive, take prisoner; to capture
2) שבוע - a period of seven days, a week
3) שבע - seven
4) שבע - to swear an oath
5) שבע - to be satiated, to be satisfied, to be full
6) שבת - to cease, desist; to rest
7) שבת - to sit, to dwell
8) שוב - to return, turn back; to repent
So Sabbath can be seen as the seventh day of the week, as a time to sit and rest and be satisfied, as a sign that one has repented and returned to the covenant (oath), and as a sign that one has ceased in their rebellion to God, that one has surrendered to God, and has been taken captive by God.
The Word of God is truly profound, isn't it?
Dear Terri, I am just now catching up on your blog and am enjoying these posts very much. They are appreciated!
Much love,
Tracey xox
P.S. Montanagoose, thank you so much for sharing this information. Yes, you are right, the Word of God is very Profound! You've definitely put me to thinking.
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